Wizards at Raptors
The Toronto Raptors aim to tie the franchise's longest winning streak on Tuesday when they put an eight-game run on the line against visiting Washington. A victory would match the team's record nine-game winning streak accomplished late in the 2001-02 season.
The first four wins in the current streak came on the road and the next four have come at home, including Sunday's 112-94 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. Kyle Lowry scored 21 points and the resurgent Toronto bench had four double-digit scorers and 51 points overall. The Raptors have also won six consecutive regular-season contests - three this season - against the Wizards, including a 97-88 triumph in Washington early in the eight-game surge. The Wizards rebounded from that setback with four wins in a row, but they've dropped three of their last four and were embarrassed on their home floor Monday night, falling to Boston 116-91.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, CSN Mid-Atlantic (Washington), TSN1 (Toronto)
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (20-22): Monday's defeat was ugly in many ways, especially given the fact that the team had four full days off before hitting the floor. John Wall was 3-of-11 from the floor and fellow starting guard Garrett Temple went 0-of-7. Bradley Beal, whose leg injury in December opened the door for Temple to grab a starting spot, lasted just nine minutes off the bench before taking a blow to the face from Celtics guard Marcus Smart and was undergoing concussion protocol after the game.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (29-15): Toronto's solid bench play has allowed it to overcome some rocky starts by the starting five, as was the case Sunday when the Clippers raced to a 34-27 lead after one quarter. "We gave up 34 in the first quarter and I thought it was going to be a long night," coach Dwane Casey told reporters. "The second unit came in and changed the game, started getting into bodies and getting into players, being physical." Terrence Ross has led the charge for the reserves with four straight double-digit scoring efforts - including 18 on Sunday - while Patrick Patterson is averaging 9.2 points on 50 percent shooting over a six-game span.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Wizards SF Jared Dudley has scored in double figures in a season-high four straight games.
2. Lowry (1,777) needs 14 assists to tie Alvin Williams for second place in franchise history.
3. Raptors SG DeMar DeRozan is averaging 29.7 points in the three wins over the Wizards this season.